MS launches unified comms, VoIP software in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Microsoft India announced the availability of its Unified Communications (UC) software following the global launch by chairman Bill Gates in San Francisco last week. The announcement marks a major step toward streamlining workplace communication and reducing the cost of the average corporate VoIP system by half.

The software will enable employees within organizations to be able to communicate and collaborate through e-mails, phone call, IM, videoconference in a very simple, efficient manner through any device such as a computer, cell phone or even a public phone, while in Office or on the move allowing them to be more productive.

Microsoft’s Unified Communications and VoIP software includes Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Microsoft Office Communicator, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and the Service Pack Update of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

"Unified Communications Software will redefine the way organizations communicate and collaborate both in India and around the world," said Eric Swift, Senior Director, Unified Communications Group. "Microsoft’s software based approach is unique and is expected to usher in changes to enterprise voice communication that will fundamentally transforming business communications. Leading IT Global Research firms like Gartner have validated our approach by positioning Microsoft as one of the leaders in the Unified Communication space due to the completeness of our vision and our capability to execute this solution."

"As businesses expand their geographical footprint and grow employee strength, we believe a Unified Communications solution will become an integral tool to ensure anytime anywhere access and will significantly impact organizational productivity," added Sanjay Manchanda, Director, Information Worker Business Group, Microsoft India.

Microsoft’s UC solution offers substantial cost savings to customers also because it allows businesses to leverage existing IT and Telephony infrastructure, with no need to rip and replace current telephony infrastructure such as EPBAX systems.

Role of Microsoft India Development Center

Microsoft’s India based development center, MIDC has also played a significant role in developing the latest Unified Communication solution filing over five patents already in the process. More than 100 employees at MIDC have worked towards providing Microsoft’s Instant Messenger over phone.

The feature rich Communicator Mobile v2.0 works on all WinMobile Cellphones and Office Communicator Phone Edition v1.0 - a presence-leveraged phone with unified call logs and visual voicemail and easy conferencing- by partners such as LG-Nortel and Polycom. MIDC has also created some key features in the new videoconferencing solution, Live Meeting 2007.

Continued Commitment to Interoperability

Microsoft also unveiled "Unified Communications Open Interoperability," a telephony system qualification program, to give customers the assurance that Microsoft unified communications software works with their existing telephony systems.